The Princess and the Prince

Cináed continued on with his trip around the more southern and eastern parts of Boreas before he began to loop his way back up toward the north again, but he certainly was tempted to just not go back. If it wasn't for his bright idea of putting his name in the running for the pack's heir in some vein attempt to get his father's attention and favor then he might have just joined the ranks of "deserters" and "slanderers" that his dad seemed convinced were out there. As delusional and out of touch as he was, he still had to put up with him as long as he was still a part of this pack and family so for now he contented himself to these trips away from the pack, giving himself several days away at a time to breathe away from them all so he didn't absolutely lose his mind.

This journey was a bit longer than some other trips he had taken, going almost all the way to the opposite side of Boreas. Dark paws carried him through the forrest of willow trees and golden eyes looked over the strange trees curiously. He had never seen trees like this since most of the ones near where he grew up were all some kind of pine or cedar tree. Really, any tree that didn't have needles for leaves was pretty unusual to him though there were at least some hardy oaks and things of that nature near by. Everything was frosted with a bit of snow, but it was a far cry from the state the north was in and he wondered for the hundredth time why his dad would choose to keep their pack up there when it was always so miserable.

He passed a cluster of the droopy trees and found a babbling stream in his path and he paused long enough to take a drink. With his head lowered to the surface of the water, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced down the stream to see the tiniest pup he had never seen poking around at some reedy plants. He wasn't all that familiar with pups, but he knew for a fact that none of his siblings had ever been that small and the blue siblings were a bit younger than he was and they are definitely bigger than this too. Curiosity pulled him toward the little tan, white and black ball of fluff and as he got closer he noticed the way her ears folded over and bobbed with every movement of her head. He squinted a little as he lowered his head to look at her more closely as he got close enough to speak comfortably, tilting his head slightly. "Hey, little girl, aren't you a little young to be out here on your own? Where's your parents?" At least in his mind she had to be super super young with how little she was and he could smell the pack scent on her so he knew someone had to be looking out for her somewhere.

Cináed Praetor